VSS Enterprise

Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Italic title prefixed Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox aircraftVSS Enterprise (tail number: N339SS<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>) was the first SpaceShipTwo (SS2) spaceplane, built by Scaled Composites for Virgin Galactic. As of 2004, it was planned to be the first of five commercial suborbital SS2 spacecraft planned by Virgin Galactic.<ref name="AP-OfferPublicFlights"> Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Scaled Composites Projects">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Update after It was also the first ship of the Scaled Composites Model 339 SpaceShipTwo class, based on upscaling the design of record-breaking SpaceShipOne.

The VSS EnterpriseTemplate:'s name was an acknowledgement of the USS Enterprise from the Star Trek television series.<ref name="SpaceTourism-SS2"> {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The spaceplane also shared its name with NASA's prototype Space Shuttle orbiter, as well as the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. It was rolled out on 7 December 2009.<ref> {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

SpaceShipTwo made its first powered flight in April 2013. Richard Branson said it "couldn't have gone more smoothly".<ref name="3news.co.nz">Template:Cite news</ref>

Enterprise was destroyed during a powered test flight on 31 October 2014, killing one pilot, Michael Alsbury, and seriously injuring another, Peter Siebold.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This was the first spacecraft-related accident in which part, but not all, of the crew survived. An investigation revealed the accident was caused by premature deployment of the "feathering" system, the ship's descent device; the NTSB also faulted the spacecraft's design for lacking fail-safe mechanisms that could have deterred or prevented early deployment.<ref name="NYT-20141103-KC">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="APN-20141103-BM">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="EnterpriseNTSBReport">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Flight test program

Template:See also Initial projections by Virgin Galactic in 2008 called for test flights to begin in late 2009 and commercial service to start in 2011.<ref name=fi081221>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Schwartz"> Template:Cite news</ref> This schedule was not achieved, with captive carry and glide flight tests beginning in 2010, and the first test flight under rocket power in 2013.

In October 2009, Virgin Galactic CEO Will Whitehorn outlined the flight test program for SpaceShipTwo. The test program includes seven phases:

1. Vehicle ground testing
2. Captive carry under White Knight Two
3. Unpowered glide testing
4. Subsonic testing with only a brief firing of the rocket
5. Supersonic atmospheric testing
6. Full flight into suborbital space
7. Execute a detailed and lengthy appraisal process with the FAA/AST to demonstrate the system's robustness and eventually obtain a commercial launch license to begin commercial operations.<ref name=Fg20091027ww2>Template:Cite video</ref>

On 22 March 2010, the SpaceShipTwo vehicle VSS Enterprise underwent a captive carry test flight, with the parent White Knight Two aircraft, VMS Eve, performing a short flight while carrying the Enterprise.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A second test flight was made on 16 May 2010,<ref name="scaleSum"/> reaching SS2's launch altitude (51,000 feet) and lasting nearly five hours, in order to facilitate "cold soak" testing of SS2's avionics and pressurization system. Thereafter, "a simulated spaceship descent/glide mission was made from [launch] altitude."<ref name=aw20100520> Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref> Between these two flights, the SpaceShipTwo airframe was modified by the addition of two interior fins, with one fin being added to the inside (rocket-side) of each of the craft's twin vertical stabilizers.<ref name=hs20100521> {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 15 July 2010, VSS Enterprise made its first crewed flight. The craft remained attached to VMS Eve as planned, and underwent a series of combined vehicle systems tests. The flight lasted a total of 6 hours and 21 minutes. A second, similar crewed flight of VSS Enterprise and VMS Eve was carried out on 30 September 2010, lasting approximately 5 hours. Among the objectives of these flights was the improvement of pilot proficiency, and the results of the flights were deemed to show that the systems were capable of supporting future glide missions.<ref name="scaleSum"/>

On 10 October 2010, VSS Enterprise made its first crewed gliding test flight. It was released from VMS Eve at 45,000 ft (13,700 metres) and glided to a safe landing at the Mojave Air and Spaceport.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=aw20101021> Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref> A second gliding test flight took place on 28 October 2010<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and a third on 17 November 2010.<ref name="Leonard-David-2010-11-19"> Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> Template:As of, Scaled reported that the flight test program was exceeding expectations.<ref name=aw20101223> Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref> The fourth test flight took place on 13 January 2011,<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> while the fifth and sixth glide flights occurred on 22 and 27 April 2011, respectively.<ref name="scaleSum">Template:Cite news</ref> Following this, the feathered reentry configuration was tested in flight on 4 May 2011,<ref name="scaleSum"/> with weekly test flights continuing through the end of May.<ref name="scaleSum"/> On 9 June 2011, SS2 failed to separate from White Knight Two during its 11th planned glide flight due to a technical problem.<ref name="scaleSum"/> Testing resumed with five successful glide flights in June 2011.<ref name="scaleSum"/>

In July 2011, after 15 successful glide flights, flight testing of SS2 was halted for two months while planned revisions to the spaceplane were made.<ref name=sdc20110728> Template:Cite news</ref> Flight tests resumed in late September 2011, although the 16th glide flight – on 29 September – was marred by a brief loss of control aboard SS2, forcing the crew to utilise the feathered wing configuration to land safely.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=SpaceCoOct>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This test was followed by another hiatus, during which some of the spacecraft's engine components were installed.<ref name=Resume2012>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In June 2012, Scaled Composites received an FAA permit to conduct rocket-powered supersonic test flights.<ref name=FAAPermit2012>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> SpaceShipTwo flight tests resumed in June 2012.<ref name=Resume2012/><ref name=June2012Tests>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In September 2012, Virgin Galactic announced that the unpowered subsonic glide flight test program was essentially complete. The company thereafter stated its intention to fit the hybrid rocket motor and control system to the vehicle, before resuming the glide flight test program with the rocket motor installed, in order to recharacterize the spacecraft's glide performance with slightly different weight distribution and aerodynamics.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In October 2012, Scaled Composites installed key components of the rocket motor, and SpaceShipTwo performed its first glide flight with the engine installed in December 2012.<ref name=December2012Testing>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The spacecraft's first powered test flight took place on 29 April 2013, briefly driving SpaceShipTwo to a supersonic velocity.<ref name="ScaleTestLogs">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=VG130429>Template:Cite press release</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Richard Branson said it "couldn't have gone more smoothly".<ref name="3news.co.nz"/>

On 5 September 2013, the second powered flight was made by the SpaceShipTwo. It broke the sound barrier, reached Mach 1.43, and climbed to 69,000 feet (21 km) over the Mojave Desert under rocket power and descended using its tilt-wing "feathering" maneuver.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Space journalist Doug Messier reported that "the engine plume featured white smoke, not the black smoke seen on the April flight."<ref name=nsj20130906> Template:Cite news</ref>

On 10 January 2014, the third powered flight climbed higher than the previous flights, testing a new coating on the tail boom and other systems.<ref name=pressrelease20140110>Template:Cite press release</ref>

First commercial spacecraft accident

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On 31 October 2014, Enterprise broke apart in flight during a powered test flight over California's Mojave Desert.<ref name="NYT-20141031-KC">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="WRD-201410312-AR">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The flight began smoothly, with Enterprise being dropped from its WhiteKnightTwo carrier and igniting its engine at an altitude of Template:Convert.<ref name="NYT-20141031-KC" /> About 60 to 90 seconds into the flight, an "anomaly" was reported that resulted in destruction of the ship.<ref name="NYT-20141031-KC" /> The pilot in command, Peter Siebold, escaped from the craft and parachuted to safety; the copilot, Michael Alsbury, was killed in the crash.<ref name="NYT-20141031-KC" /><ref name="EnterpriseNTSBReport" />

The National Transportation Safety Board conducted an independent investigation into the accident. In July 2015, the NTSB released a report that cited inadequate design safeguards, poor pilot training, lack of rigorous federal oversight and a potentially anxious co-pilot without recent flight experience as important factors in the crash.<ref name="EnterpriseNTSBReport"/> The NTSB determined that the crash resulted from the co-pilot's premature deployment of the feathering mechanism, which is normally used to aid a safe descent. The NTSB also faulted the ship's designers for failing to protect against human error, noting that the spacecraft lacked fail-safe systems that would have prevented or deterred a premature deployment of the feathering mechanism.<ref name="EnterpriseNTSBReport"/> The NTSB recommended that the FAA establish human factors guidance specific to commercial spaceflight operators and create a more rigorous application process for experimental spaceflight permits.<ref name="EnterpriseNTSBReport"/>

Image gallery

• Virgin Galactic VSS Enterprise
• White Knight Two and SpaceShipTwo from directly below.jpg

  Enterprise in flight slung under VMS Eve

• Vg-wk2-080728 (3) cr8.jpg

  Enterprise under construction and under wraps in 2008

• SS2 Orthos.svg

  A 3-view of the SS2

See also

• Burt Rutan
• Space tourism
• VSS Unity
• VMS Eve

External links

• Enterprise construction sequence images
• Virgin Galactic's Third Powered Flight - 14 Jan 2014 Official video on Virgin Galactic YouTube channel
• Virgin Galactic, National Geographic Channel, documentary of the conception, design, build and early flights of VSS Enterprise, 2012.
• NTSB B-Roll of the SpaceShipTwo Crash Scene in Mojave, Calif. - 1 Nov 2014 Official video on NTSB YouTube channel